Baked Butternut Squash Pasta

5 from 13 votes

Baked Butternut Squash Pasta

Creamy butternut squash sauce is tossed with penne pasta, sage, mozzarella, and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, and baked until melty in this dish that celebrates the flavors of Fall.

Prep Time10

Cook Time55

Total Time1 5

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Author: James Delmage and Tara

Ingredients

1 pound penne or rigatoni, ziti, etc.
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion diced
3 ounces tomato paste
2 cups low sodium chicken stock
5 cups butternut squash cubed
1/4 cup sage chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano grated
1/2 pound mozzarella cheese shredded, divided

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400f and set rack to the middle level. Saute onion in the butter and olive oil over medium-low heat until soft (about 5 minutes).
Add in the tomato paste, chicken stock, butternut squash, chopped sage, salt, pepper, and cook partially covered over medium heat until the squash is fork-tender (about 20 minutes).
Meanwhile, cook pasta in salted water to very al dente. About 2 minutes less than the package instructions.
In a large bowl add half of the butternut squash sauce and the pasta. Add in the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and 2/3's of the shredded mozzarella. Gently mix together.
Place a layer of butternut squash sauce into the bottom of a 9 by 13" baking dish. Add the pasta and top with the remaining sauce and the remaining shredded mozzarella.
Cover with parchment paper then foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the covering and cook for 10 more minutes. If you want the cheese browned broil for 1-2 minutes, but watch carefully to avoid burning. Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Microwaving the whole butternut squash for 3 minutes can help soften the hard skin and make peeling easier.
When cooking the sauce keep the lid slightly cracked to encourage a bit of evaporation and to help the hard squash soften more quickly.
Covering the pasta with a layer of parchment paper, then foil, prevents the cheese from sticking. If you don't have parchment paper try wiping a bit of oil onto the foil to prevent sticking.
Fried sage leaves can be used as a garnish for a nice visual effect. To cook, just fry the sage leaves for 60-90 seconds in a 1/4" layer of hot olive oil.
Leftovers can be saved for up to 3 days and can be reheated in the microwave until warm.

Nutrition